THE PUPPET MASTER

The tragic events of September 11, 2001, have changed the face of American culture forever. No longer is the threat of a terrorist attack a mere theory, but now twenty-first century citizens of the United States have firsthand experience of the tyranny suffered by many Middle Eastern and third-world-country citizens . As a result of these events, widespread panic and hysteria have caused the American people to question the safety and security of our nation. Therefore, many preventative measures, such as stricter airport security, have been implemented in an attempt, not only to prevent a future terrorist attack, but also to restore the idea of security to the American people. As a result, citizens of America have been forced to choose between security and civil liberty.

Orange, red, and yellow terrorist alerts are the tools that the Republican administration have used in order to divert our attention from the abuses of our government. And, whenever the American people question the policies of our government, the Puppet Master dangles the colors of fear before our eyes, and we assume our proper position of silent, obedient consent.

On November 4, 2008, American citizens regained their voices and demanded change. The American people elected the first African-American President and sent a resounding message around the world—we want change. And, that change was exhibited in the miscellany of faces that were painted on the canvas of Grant Park, in Chicago, IL, as President-elect Barack Obama delivered his victory address. I am proud to be a part of that change. Young and old, black and white, Asian and Hispanic, gay and straight all stood together in unity as one nation under God. And, even when our nation is on the cusp of revolutionary change, the Puppet Master seeks to divert our attention to the colors of fear and the possibility of a terrorist attack.

He plants the idea of an inaugural assassination in our minds to diminish our hope. He alleges an Al-Qaeda alliance between Obama and Bin Laden. And, he alludes that the current administration is more committed to the fight against terrorism than the newly elected one. However, the American people have spoken and we will no longer listen to the voice of the Puppet Master. We will no longer allow the government to possess the authority to enter the homes of private citizens without probable cause. We will no longer allow our library records and phone conversations to be subjected to the invasive ear of our government. We dispel the lie that racial profiling is a small price to pay in order to prevent future terrorist attacks.

Finally, I say to the Puppet Master: Perhaps instead of focusing so much attention on potential terrorist attacks, you should redirect your attention to our lawmakers on Capitol Hill to ensure our way of life as we know it.